My excitement faded a bit when, midweek, his fores warmed up at the coronets. "Here we go again," I thought, but he did not worsen to the point of not moving. It was a day after I adjusted his trim, so I can tell that he is responding to every little adjustment I do. The hind toes are ready to go shorter, since the concavity is there, and the walls extend more than 1/16th" past the sole. By shorter I mean I bevel the wall from white line down and outward from center, when the hoof is viewed from the sole. The right fore heel came down a smidge, and both fores got a backed up toe. It's paying off, as half to a quarter inch of new growth is showing at the top of each hoof, and it's coming in at a new steeper angle! I'm glad I didn't cut more to begin with, even with Xrays available, taking toe back severely as some barehoof rehab trimmers advocate would have compromised the support for his bony column, and the tip of P3, aka the coffin bone or distal phalanx. I cut vertically at the white line, but no farther. Keeping the weight off the toe wall will allow that dorsal wall to grow in where it belongs, and well connected by strong laminae to P3 (a major goal!) His heel abscesses and abrasions are nearly healed. His opinion is back, and it's nice to know he has one-I wouldn't call it an attitude though.
It's a fine dance, watching his NSC intake (sugary grass) but knowing he can more comfortably move on the pasture than on the dirt. So as long as he's moving and the heat in the feet doesn't engulf the hooves, he will stay on the pasture. The grass is slowing way down with the shorter days and lower temps. California Trace supplement and Black Oil Sunflower seeds have been added to his diet, and I split his feed into two snacks per day. Now he finishes it all every time, so I am gradually increasing beet pulp and BOSS to put the weight back on. He's still gleamy and gorgeous, but the ribs have got to GO! With his jaw moving in a more natural side to side chewing motion he is eating more hours of the day, bermuda hay and grass is always available to him. I learned that horses fed pellets tend to chew in an up and down motion that is not natural for them and causes tooth imbalances. I am looking forward to having an equine dentist do a check up. Tomorrow he will see the bodyworker for a checkup. Absorbine liniment gel is working wonders on the summer sores on Jester and Taffy both- glad I finally remembered that!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Steady improvement and new growth visible :)
For seven days Jester has been able to move willingly. Padding the frogs and treating with NO Thrush powder has improved his comfort to the point that he jogged automatically along with me in the pasture showmanship style! I put him through walk, stop, set up, back (that's tough still) and pivot (slowmotion- he is not ready for much lateral movement). He cheerfully did it all! I ponied him out one morning to the neighbor's plowed field and he moved with energy and enthusiasm over there!! Even completely barefoot!!! I continue to pad his frogs and sometimes his entire sole on the fores. Hinds have good concavity and seem comfortable without boots or pads at this point. Here he is with the gelding who's here for hoof TLC-Jester really likes him. 
My excitement faded a bit when, midweek, his fores warmed up at the coronets. "Here we go again," I thought, but he did not worsen to the point of not moving. It was a day after I adjusted his trim, so I can tell that he is responding to every little adjustment I do. The hind toes are ready to go shorter, since the concavity is there, and the walls extend more than 1/16th" past the sole. By shorter I mean I bevel the wall from white line down and outward from center, when the hoof is viewed from the sole. The right fore heel came down a smidge, and both fores got a backed up toe. It's paying off, as half to a quarter inch of new growth is showing at the top of each hoof, and it's coming in at a new steeper angle! I'm glad I didn't cut more to begin with, even with Xrays available, taking toe back severely as some barehoof rehab trimmers advocate would have compromised the support for his bony column, and the tip of P3, aka the coffin bone or distal phalanx. I cut vertically at the white line, but no farther. Keeping the weight off the toe wall will allow that dorsal wall to grow in where it belongs, and well connected by strong laminae to P3 (a major goal!) His heel abscesses and abrasions are nearly healed. His opinion is back, and it's nice to know he has one-I wouldn't call it an attitude though.
It's a fine dance, watching his NSC intake (sugary grass) but knowing he can more comfortably move on the pasture than on the dirt. So as long as he's moving and the heat in the feet doesn't engulf the hooves, he will stay on the pasture. The grass is slowing way down with the shorter days and lower temps. California Trace supplement and Black Oil Sunflower seeds have been added to his diet, and I split his feed into two snacks per day. Now he finishes it all every time, so I am gradually increasing beet pulp and BOSS to put the weight back on. He's still gleamy and gorgeous, but the ribs have got to GO! With his jaw moving in a more natural side to side chewing motion he is eating more hours of the day, bermuda hay and grass is always available to him. I learned that horses fed pellets tend to chew in an up and down motion that is not natural for them and causes tooth imbalances. I am looking forward to having an equine dentist do a check up. Tomorrow he will see the bodyworker for a checkup. Absorbine liniment gel is working wonders on the summer sores on Jester and Taffy both- glad I finally remembered that!
My excitement faded a bit when, midweek, his fores warmed up at the coronets. "Here we go again," I thought, but he did not worsen to the point of not moving. It was a day after I adjusted his trim, so I can tell that he is responding to every little adjustment I do. The hind toes are ready to go shorter, since the concavity is there, and the walls extend more than 1/16th" past the sole. By shorter I mean I bevel the wall from white line down and outward from center, when the hoof is viewed from the sole. The right fore heel came down a smidge, and both fores got a backed up toe. It's paying off, as half to a quarter inch of new growth is showing at the top of each hoof, and it's coming in at a new steeper angle! I'm glad I didn't cut more to begin with, even with Xrays available, taking toe back severely as some barehoof rehab trimmers advocate would have compromised the support for his bony column, and the tip of P3, aka the coffin bone or distal phalanx. I cut vertically at the white line, but no farther. Keeping the weight off the toe wall will allow that dorsal wall to grow in where it belongs, and well connected by strong laminae to P3 (a major goal!) His heel abscesses and abrasions are nearly healed. His opinion is back, and it's nice to know he has one-I wouldn't call it an attitude though.
It's a fine dance, watching his NSC intake (sugary grass) but knowing he can more comfortably move on the pasture than on the dirt. So as long as he's moving and the heat in the feet doesn't engulf the hooves, he will stay on the pasture. The grass is slowing way down with the shorter days and lower temps. California Trace supplement and Black Oil Sunflower seeds have been added to his diet, and I split his feed into two snacks per day. Now he finishes it all every time, so I am gradually increasing beet pulp and BOSS to put the weight back on. He's still gleamy and gorgeous, but the ribs have got to GO! With his jaw moving in a more natural side to side chewing motion he is eating more hours of the day, bermuda hay and grass is always available to him. I learned that horses fed pellets tend to chew in an up and down motion that is not natural for them and causes tooth imbalances. I am looking forward to having an equine dentist do a check up. Tomorrow he will see the bodyworker for a checkup. Absorbine liniment gel is working wonders on the summer sores on Jester and Taffy both- glad I finally remembered that!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment